Mt. Agung erupts again

News Desk

The Jakarta Post

Jakarta |
Tue, February 13, 2018 | 06:51 pm

Foreign tourists arrive by speedboat at the Padangbai Harbor in Karangasem regency on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Oct. 3, 2017. Volcanic activity has been recorded at Mount Agung, located 75 kilometers from the resort hub of Kuta, since August last year, the first time since 1963. The ongoing volcanic activity has had negative impacts on the island's tourism, including causing flight disruptions. (Agence France-Presse/Sonny Tumbelaka)

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Mount Agung erupted again at 11:49 a.m. on Tuesday, spewing a plum of ash 1.5 kilometers into the air.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BNPB) spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the eruption lasted 140 seconds, and did not appear to cause any disruptions to the daily activities of local residents nor to flights.

"The airport's operations continue to run as normal and no effects have been seen," Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport spokesperson Arie Ahsanurrohim said.

The intensity of the ash was assessed as medium, but no further eruptions followed.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) said the alert status for Mt. Agung remained at level 3, with a 4 km exclusion zone declared around the crater.

PVMBG has installed a detector on Mt. Agung to serve as an early warning system.

Mt. Agung began erupting for the first time since 1963 in August last year. On Feb. 10, the authorities lowered the alert status of the volcano from level 4, the highest level, following a decrease in volcanic activity. (sha/dmr)